Posture and Body Mechanics

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Picture: A MOT student bending down to search for something in the cabinet.

Picture 2: A MOT student sitting in her regular position.
Picture 3: A MOT student sitting in a relaxed position checking her phone.

     I observed 3 different classmates during our leisure time before and after our first class. The first student is student was bending down to see if she can find something in the cabinet, the second was just sitting leaning forward and the third student with her phone scrolling through social media.

     In picture 2, we have the MOT student sitting down with exaggerated spinal curves flexing forward. Her pelvis is in a posterior tilt and her pelvis rotated slightly to the right. Her cervical spine is extremely curved, her thoracic spine is also curved  and her lumbar spine is flattened. Her left leg is slightly extended on a scooter seat and the right knee is flexed about 60 degrees facing the floor. Her head is also shifted forward and not in midline.

    This position is more efficient for stability because she has a large base of support which are her scooter seat, one leg slightly flexed, and the chair she's sitting on. There's more mobility on her right leg thats down and and her upper extremities are a bit free but they are used for support to hold the chair for her when she wants to move. This posture does not support joint alignment because its very poor and muscles are over stretch of muscles on the convex side leading to weakness, but it places additional forces on joints like her ischial tuberosity and on her spine.

     She cant stay in this position for long due to over exaggerated curve on her cervical spine and her body not being in a proper sitting posture, she'll easily feel pains on her neck and lower back because it will feel like she's stretching her spine. She'll need to shift a lot of times to be comfortable and not feel pain, like moving back and forth in the chair or trying to extend her shoulders.

    Based on my analysis of these pictures, its important to teach proper posture and body mechanics to a client who has faulty posture and body mechanics because they need to know that proper posture "encourages proper alignment of joints and bones" (MaxwellTherapy), and it also "prevents muscle fatigue" (MaxwellTherapy). For clients to feel better and perform well during their daily lives, they need to know the right postures to stay in. 

     When it comes to teaching or using proper posture intervention and body mechanics in an intervention with clients like the second picture, I would show her and image of how to position herself properly and figure out how it will help her not exaggerate her spinal curves and posture. I would also do more educational things on how she could sit to feel better especially for someone in her situation and keep her foot raised to heart level, which will help prevent blood clots.

Image retrieved from: https://backintelligence.com/proper-sitting-posture-at-a-desk/



                                                                References 


How to reduce swelling in foot after surgery. Podiatrist, ABFAS Certified in Foot, Reconstructive Rearfoot and Ankle Surgery & General Podiatrist located in Ventura County, Camarillo and Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara, CA | Align Foot & Ankle Center. (2022, February 23). https://alignfootankle.com/post/how-to-reduce-swelling-in-foot-after-surgery#:~:text=Whenever%20you’re%20seated%20or,prevent%20blood%20clots%20and%20edema

How To Improve Posture For A Healthy Back - Good Posture | Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic.                                                                https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/4485-back-health--posture. Published 2019. Accessed May 18, 2023.

The benefits of good posture. Max Well Therapy, LLC. (n.d.). https://www.maxwelltherapy.com/Newsletters/Full

           Articles/The benefits-of-good-posture/a~17683/article.html

Pictures retrieved from personal phone camera.

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